What age did you stop supervising your kids playing outside with neighborhood kids?

[Anonymous]

Title says it all. By supervising, I mean sitting outside with the kids the entire time. I know a lot varies based on maturity of the kid and how much traffic passes by but generally, what age transitions to just looking out the window?

[Anonymous]

My kids are 5 and 3. We live on a really quiet road and the kids themselves are pretty risk averse.

One of us is definitely like, on guard if they're out of the house and stepping outside to look at them. And if they are biking or doing anything in the road an adult is there 100% of the time. But if they're in our backyard on the swingset its totally out the window and if they go to the next door neighbor's house its basically like I'm just sitting on our porch with an ear out for trouble.

I feel like in two years I won't even be thinking about it.

[Anonymous]

Around age 8 or so. By then I had a good idea where the friends were located, and met most of the parents, so we can let each other know when they show up outside our house.

If it was my backyard or my neighbor's backyard, it was younger than that, with the door open to listen.

[Anonymous]

5 for the first kid, will stop supervising 2nd around 4 - 4.5 (he is 3 now). We live on a cul de sac with lots of kids, and I know all the parents/neighbors well. Kids are not allowed inside the houses, just playing upfront.

[Anonymous]

We live on a cul de sac, so we let our kid play outside at age 5 as long as he stayed within view of the house. Now he is 6 and we let him walk to his friend's house at the other end of the street (it's about a half block).

[Anonymous]

how did all of you find these kid filled cul de sacs? I grew up in one with lots of boys my brother's ages, but I was sooo lonely I couldn't wait to get out. I'm tempted to try a cul de sac for my kids, but I know the risks now. I almost want to knock on doors and get a census of genders, energy levels, and ages haha.

[Anonymous]

10 and still supervising. Can’t imagine not. Mostly this means coffee in the street with other moms, or watching out the window while at my desk.

[Anonymous]

I'm amazed at how lazy people are. At 11, we are still loosely supervising and wouldn't let ours go off on their own.

[Anonymous]

9/10

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm amazed at how lazy people are. At 11, we are still loosely supervising and wouldn't let ours go off on their own.

Lazy or not helicopter parents?!?

[Anonymous]

5 or 6 for playing with the kid next door in one of our yards. 8/9 for walking or riding to a designated place to meet a friend. Probably 10/11 for riding around neighborhood more generally to friends’ houses. 12/13 for taking a bus to mall.

[Anonymous]

I would love to live in a neighborhood that people did this. We don’t have sidewalks, though, so kids need to be old enough to have good judgement about walking in the street, which is probably closer to middle elementary age.

We let our 4 and 6 year old roam our own property (2/3 acre so not huge) unsupervised but together. It’s not fenced in, but we are really set back from the road, so don’t have any worries about traffic. If friends come over, we also let them roam around outside. In a couple of years will probably let them walk to the nearby park together.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm amazed at how lazy people are. At 11, we are still loosely supervising and wouldn't let ours go off on their own.

I’m an 80’s kid and was running around having adventures with the neighborhood kids by age 7. I let my 9 year old around the neighborhood unsupervised and want her to have the same independence that I enjoyed.

[Anonymous]

I'm amazed at how lazy people are. At 11, we are still loosely supervising and wouldn't let ours go off on their own.

Seriously? I feel like an 11 year old who is never let outside of mommy’s sight is a kid who is going to grow up anxious and second guessing her every move. At least with my kids, and especially my oldest, who tended to be a worrier, giving freedom was a great way to help develop skills and self confidence.

My kids were freely roaming the neighborhood and walking to school with friends at 7/8. Walking up the street to a friends house (but not freely roaming) at 6. At 2 and 4 they’d sometimes play in the backyard alone with windows open, but I’d supervise in the front yard. At 9 and 11, they walk to get snacks at cvs and go fishing in a creek near us. I’m definitely more comfortable if they are together or with a friend.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I'm amazed at how lazy people are. At 11, we are still loosely supervising and wouldn't let ours go off on their own.

Seriously? I feel like an 11 year old who is never let outside of mommy’s sight is a kid who is going to grow up anxious and second guessing her every move. At least with my kids, and especially my oldest, who tended to be a worrier, giving freedom was a great way to help develop skills and self confidence.

My kids were freely roaming the neighborhood and walking to school with friends at 7/8. Walking up the street to a friends house (but not freely roaming) at 6. At 2 and 4 they’d sometimes play in the backyard alone with windows open, but I’d supervise in the front yard. At 9 and 11, they walk to get snacks at cvs and go fishing in a creek near us. I’m definitely more comfortable if they are together or with a friend.

Agree. My 11 yo would DIE of mortification if I went to the park with him and sat and supervised him with his friends. I think it's lazier parenting to not teach your kids important life skills.